A Knoxville police officer has pleaded guilty to charges of sexual battery and official oppression against a woman stemming from a September incident, court records show.

Angela Gosnell/News Sentinel

A former Knoxville Police Department officer who went to a woman’s home after investigating a disturbance call involving her and groped her will get a chance at wiping his record clean, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Knox County Criminal Court Judge Bob McGee on Wednesday granted former KPD Officer Jason Tyler Hughett judicial diversion — a rare break for first-time, nonviolent offenders that will allow Hughett to have his record erased if he doesn’t run afoul of probationary rules in the next year.

Jason Tyler Hughett

Jason Tyler Hughett

Knox County Detention Facility

Hughett, 40, pleaded guilty last year to charges of sexual battery and official oppression in connection with a September 2017 incident that began when he responded to a disturbance call at a convenience store on Merchants Drive.

Hughett spoke with and gathered information from a woman who reportedly was the cause of the disturbance and, later that night, went to her home. He was still on duty.

According to court records, Hughett touched the woman’s inner thigh and buttocks "intentionally and by force," but left when she rebuffed his advances. Two days after the encounter, the woman filed a complaint.

'Isolated incident'

Hughett’s police powers were immediately suspended, and he resigned amid an internal investigation after a nearly 13-year career at KPD.

Assistant District Attorney General Ashley McDermott and defense attorney Joshua Hedrick brokered a plea deal in which Hughett faced a one-year probationary sentence but was allowed to petition McGee for diversion.

Knox County Assistant District Attorney Ashley McDermott during a trial in March 2017.

Knox County Assistant District Attorney Ashley McDermott during a trial in March 2017.

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McDermott argued Wednesday against diversion. She said the former officer not only took advantage of a citizen he was supposed to protect but violated the public’s trust in law enforcement and appears to have minimized his conduct in follow-up interviews.

“There are inconsistencies between what he says went on and what she says,” McDermott said.

Hedrick countered that Hughett has racked up a “personnel file full of commendations” from his bosses and, more importantly, the citizens he served as a patrol officer.

“This was an isolated incident,” Hedrick said. “He has an excellent … history. Officer Hughett is dedicated to law enforcement. He was dedicated to a career in law enforcement, and he’s lost that.”

'Terrible, terrible thing to do'

Hughett was married at the time of the incident. Hedrick did not offer an explanation for his behavior except to say the officer was experiencing “personal difficulties” at the time and had never before been accused of inappropriate conduct, sexual or otherwise.

McGee called Hughett’s conduct “terrible” but aberrant.

Knox County Criminal Court Judge Bob McGee during a trial in July 2018.

Knox County Criminal Court Judge Bob McGee during a trial in July 2018.

Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

“It is true what Mr. Hughett did was a terrible, terrible thing to do,” McGee said. “He did mistreat a woman. Sexual battery is very inappropriate … but that’s all he did. There was no violence or injury. When (the woman) made it clear to him that his advances were unwelcome, when she told him to get out, he left. He’s never acted out like this before.

“On balance, it appears Mr. Hughett never was a person likely to do wrong and is unlikely to do wrong again,” McGee continued.

McGee granted Hughett diversion but ordered him supervised during his one-year probationary period. Hughett will be required to register as a sex offender. Hedrick said Hughett has lost his law enforcement certification as a result of the plea.